Good morning, TexMessagers. Much gnashing of teeth (and sharpening of knives) on Capitol Hill. Did you have a good Thursday?

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TEXclusive

TEXclusive by Lauren French

This much is true about the Republican presidential race: Voters are not without choices.

Voters can choose from a businessman with little political experience, a career politician with little business experience, a sitting representative with ties to the Tea Party, a former governor who appeals to the lefter side of the right, a former senator who appeals to the righter side of the right, a Libertarian lawmaker/doctor/philosopher and a former House Speaker, among others. And still others. More than a dozen of them.

For Republicans (and many independents) 2012 is about one thing: getting Barack Obama out of office. And not every Republican candidate will be able to do that. Republican primary voters want a candidate who can unseat the president.

Giuliani and Perry are polling so well despite their status as undeclared candidates because Republicans are searching for a candidate who can appeal to the entire party and key independent voters. Palin has a hard core of supporters but can’t seem to finish first in any poll anywhere.

All of this is not to say the candidate who will win the nomination isn’t already in the race. It just means GOP loyalists really want to win and aren’t yet convinced that a winner is in today’s presidential field.

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Texas Tips

Every morning, we offer Texas news you may not have heard and insights from the Washington bureau staff.

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (AP Photo)

? PAUL SAYS AMERICA IS ALREADY BANKRUPT – Rep. Ron Paul, R-Lake Jackson, told Fox News that he will vote ‘no’ on Speaker of the House John Boehner’s debt bill. The GOP presidential contender went on to say, he would not “pretend that the balanced budget amendment is going to solve our problems.” More>>>

? NATIONAL JOURNAL: GOHMERT’S ‘NO’ VOTE WON’T COST HIM- The National Journal reported today that the 14 Republicans who said they would vote ‘no’ on Speaker of the House John Boehner’s debt bill all come safe Republican districts, including Texas’ first District currently represented by Rep. Louie Gohmert. More>>>

? NEUGEBAUER INVESTIGATING CREDIT RATING – Rep. Randy Neugebauer, the Republican chairman of a House oversight panel is investigating if the Obama administration tried to influence Standard & Poor’s before the credit rater revised its outlook on the debt rating. More>>>

? JACKSON LEE SAYS OBAMA SHOULD UNILATERALLY INCREASE THE DEBT CEILING. The Houston Democrats has joined the growing group of Democrats who believe the president has the constitutional authority to raise the debt ceiling by executive order if Congress fails to act. More>>>

Reader Comment of the Day

Finally, some honest and patriotic Republicans are fighting back against the Tea Party:
“On Wednesday, Mr. McCain mocked Tea Party conservatives, quoting from an editorial in The Wall Street Journal that referred to them as “Hobbits.”

“This is the kind of crack political thinking that turned Sharron Angle and Christine O’Donnell into G.O.P. nominees,” Mr. McCain read on the Senate floor.”

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Texas Watch

TxPotomac lets you know what stories to look out for today — and later this week.

? American Benefits Council will hold a discussion on potential pension plan insurance premium increases within debt and deficit reduction legislation. Contact Jason Hammersla at 202-289-6700 for the 10:30 a.m. conference call.

? The Sunlight Foundation’s advisory committee on Transparency will hold a discussion titled “Making Whistleblowing Work.” The meeting with be in room 2247 of the Rayburn Building at 10:30 a.m.

? The Association of Flight Attendants will hold a briefing on the FAA re-authorization legislation at 11:30 a.m The phone conference will be at 800-895-1549, with the access code of FAA.

? Education Secretary Duncan will address Omega Psi Phi’s Centennial Grand Conclave on the next generation of high-quality teachers in American schools. The event will be at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at 801 Mount Vernon Place starting at 12:30 p.m.